


The Same Stars

by Fyoex



Series: each step is a step back to you [2]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Blindness, Fluff, Gen, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-30
Updated: 2012-11-30
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:47:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24403798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fyoex/pseuds/Fyoex
Summary: Sequel to Each Step.After so long as a 'pet' to King Lucan, being back home in Camelot felt like a true blessing. But it seems the tricky dragon has an everlasting gift to give.
Series: each step is a step back to you [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1762276
Comments: 4
Kudos: 28





	The Same Stars

_**The Same Stars** _

_Don't you interest yourself in the things you cannot change  
'Cause one day I will be back around  
One day I won't be lost  
-Brian Buckley_

* * *

Merlin wasn't too sure how Gaius managed to shuffle Arthur and Gwen out. He guessed Gaius used excuses such as 'Merlin needs rest!' Merlin didn't mind, since the euphoria of being back home did indeed drain him slightly.

Once the protesting pair left, Merlin heard Gaius fetch a chair, and sit down in front of him. Gaius didn't speak, instead just rested gentle hands on Merlin's head.

"Can I take this off?" he asked.

Merlin nodded, his own hands rubbing his freed wrists. After so long with them bound, it almost felt strange. Gaius brought Merlin's head down to rest on his chest, so that he could untie the blindfold's knot. After he finished, he lifted his head again and the strip of silk material was taken off.

Gaius didn't move, just looked at his ward's uncovered face. It was eerie, as the missing eyeballs didn't provide any support for the eyelids. They hung limply, even caving in somewhat. White scars marred the skin of the eyelid and around it, but they were fairly small, barely noticeable.

Gaius shook his head in guilt. He couldn't help it; all he could think was, _'If only I hadn't sent him out that day. None of this would have happened.'_

The physician softly dipped Merlin's head back. Merlin understood, and his eyelids twitched, before opening. For Gaius, it was not the first time he had seen patients with missing eyeballs, but it was still a sight to see. The socket was empty, and the walls were dark pink.

"I'm lucky it didn't become infected," Merlin said. "The prisoners I was with helped me clean and bandage it."

Gaius was rather amazed, and thanked the lords that it hadn't become infected. An infection would have surely led to death.

"It seems to have healed well. In fact… better than it should be," Gaius noticed.

Merlin gave a shy grin. "I tried healing it with magic a few times, but it didn't work very well. But just flowing magic there seemed to soothe it."

Gaius hummed in wonder. He continued to examine both eye sockets, to make sure they were both healthy. And yet he couldn't help the guilt rising up again. Merlin had lost his sight. He could no longer go anywhere without a guide, let alone protect Arthur and fulfil his destiny. It wasn't fair. Gaius felt a tear drip down his skin. _'I did this.'_

Seemingly sensing his distress, Merlin raised a hand to Gaius' cheek, wiping the tear away. Gaius just shook his head. Why should Merlin be comforting _him_?It was supposed to be the other way around. After all, it was _Merlin_ who had lost his ability to see.

"I'm sorry…" Gaius said. It didn't express even close to the remorse he was feeling, but it was all he could say. Merlin, oh sweet Merlin, just shook his own head.

"Please don't apologize for anything, Gaius. It was not your fault. It was never your fault. It was mine. I wasn't strong enough."

Gaius felt like weeping at how purely _beautiful_ the boy who sat in front of him was. How could someone be so selfless, after going through so much? If Gaius didn't know better, didn't know _Merlin_ , he would never believe it himself.

Merlin smiled tenderly as Gaius held him firmly him his arm, never wanting to let go. No words were needed between them.

' _I'm home.'_

_~~The Same Stars~~_

Exiting Gaius' chambers, Arthur accompanied Gwen to her own before heading off towards the dungeons. It was time for two kings to have a little chat.

_~~The Same Stars~~_

It didn't take long for Arthur to return to Gaius' chambers. Merlin smirked as he heard the king's footsteps, and the door hastily being opened. Gaius just heaved a sigh of exasperation, but got up from his chair.

"I'll leave you two alone," Gaius said, and exited. Merlin grinned nervously at where he assumed the prat was standing, fiddling with the new material on his head. It was heavier than the silky one he had on before, but it was softer and more comfortable.

Arthur made his way towards him, and sat down in the empty chair Gaius left. They sat in silence for a while. Arthur broke it first.

"How are you feeling?"

Merlin smiled in reassurance. "I'm feeling better than I have in a long time, Arthur."

That did _not_ seem to be the right thing to say, since Merlin heard Arthur mutter darkly, "That insolent little king will wish he'd never been born." Merlin winced.

"I wasn't lying when I said he treated me well," he tried again. "I didn't… particularly enjoy being with him, but I was never mistreated."

"Except for the fact that he bound you with ropes and forced you to be his _pet_ ," Arthur replied scathingly. Merlin grimaced.

"Well when you put it that way…"

Arthur just groaned.

"What are you going to do about them?" Merlin questioned. "Technically… they haven't really done anything wrong."

"Now that's where _you're_ wrong, Merlin," Arthur replied with a glint in his voice, if that was possible. "True, I can't prosecute them for having slaves… or _pets._ " The last one was spat out with venom. "Unintentionally or not, they held _you._ You are a servant to the king, and being bound like that… I can certainly punish them as I see fit."

Merlin bit his lip. "You aren't going to execute him, are you?" he asked.

"Why are you even defending him? He kept you against your will for three months!" Arthur replied with frustration.

"W-Well… You could say that I'm almost _glad_ it was him that bought me, and not someone who was cruel. His arrogance was grating, but simple enough to deal with. He would give me enough food each day, and have servants attend to me as well. I would perform for him, and he would reward me with extra food…" he trailed off. Now that he heard himself saying it, it didn't sound all that pleasant.

Arthur himself just breathed in deeply to contain the anger that bubbled inside. It seemed Merlin was determined to defend the king. _'Fine. Then how about the other one?'_

"Do you recognize the name Morholt?"

Not expecting it, Merlin flinched, almost tipping out of the chair. Arthur steadied him with strong arms.

"Where did you hear that name?" Merlin choked out.

"So it's true," he growled in reply. "He's the slave trader that captured and sold you."

Merlin hesitated, then nodded meekly in reply. "Did King Lucan tell you?"

"He told me he bought you from that man, in his own city," he said, almost hoping that King Lucan was lying and had bought Merlin within Camelot, meaning he could charge him.

"It's true," Merlin quickly agreed. "Morholt took me and the other prisoners away from Camelot, and sold him to King Lucan in the city."

Arthur huffed in dissatisfaction. "Well Morholt better pray he never steps foot in Camelot again. I've ordered my knights to be extra vigilant for slave traders. This shouldn't have happened at all!" Arthur hissed.

"How have you been?" Merlin asked, trying to change the subject with what was usually a light-hearted question.

"Lost," Arthur replied with complete honesty. "You were here, and everything was happy and normal. And then you disappeared… without a trace. I searched, but I could never find you! You were just gone." Tears began forming in the king's eyes. "I became so lost without you, Merlin. I even began to think you were dead. How could I?!"

Before he realized it, Arthur found himself in Merlin's arms. Arthur nearly scoffed with incredulity. Why was it that Merlin, who had gone through so much, was still the kind-hearted soul he loved? Arthur wanted to curse the gods for doing this, for trying him so. Merlin didn't deserve to be blind. If he could, Arthur would give Merlin his eyes. Without a second thought.

"Hey Arthur, what's this? You've become soft. A king shouldn't weep for a mere servant," Merlin murmured, his hand rubbing the trembling back. "What will people think?" he teased.

"People will think you are important to me, and learn to never take you away," Arthur muttered in reply. Merlin just laughed lightly. Oh how Arthur had missed it. He soon found himself grinning as Merlin released him. But then Merlin's smile dropped a little.

"Arthur… I am no use to you anymore. Without my sight, I can't do anything," he stated, sadness thick in his tone. Arthur was already shaking his head, though Merlin couldn't tell.

"We'll make it work," Arthur said with resolve. "You are not leaving my side again."

Merlin's mouth fell open in wonder.

"You're not leaving your duties so easily, Merlin," Arthur teased, ruffling the other's dark hair.

Merlin grinned back. _'If the prat believes I can do it, then I can't give up now.'_

_~~The Same Stars~~_

Back with King Lucan, it was usually a servant who would hold the rope around his wrists and led him around. Merlin got Arthur's permission to start working right away, with much opposition, with the justification that he wanted to go back to his old life. He refused to have anyone spending their time just to guide him everywhere around the castle for his daily chores.

So of course no one listened to him. Though it was occasionally servants, it seemed as though the majority of the time his "helpful" guide was a knight. Which he though was absurd, but it didn't stop them.

Gwaine was his first guide.

Merlin had just finished his breakfast and was drinking from his cup when…

" _MMMMMMM-"_

' _What the…?'_ Merlin thought, his head tilting a little to decipher what the noise was.

" _-EEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRR-"_

"Oh God…" Merlin grumbled and buried his head in his hands as Gaius chuckled.

" _-LLLIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNN N!"_ The door slammed open, and there stood Gwaine, beaming widely. Though Merlin couldn't see that.

"Gwaine," he replied, much more quietly than the other man's greeting. He didn't have time to say more as he was suddenly tackled to the ground. Luckily Gwaine was smart enough to put a hand behind his head to prevent injury.

"I missed you so much!" Gwaine wailed. "Why didn't you just join me that day?! WHY DID YOU LEAVE MEEEEE?!" he howled, sobbing into Merlin's shoulder. Merlin sighed and pet his head. But he realised that the act was just to cover up the true emotions. Merlin understood that Gwaine must have been just as affected by his disappearance as Arthur.

"I'm sorry I left you, Gwaine. It won't happen again…" Merlin said reassuringly. The older man just sniffled.

"You promise?" he whined.

"I promise," Merlin answered.

Gwaine gripped him a little tighter, and Merlin noticed he was trembling. Merlin smiled softly. He felt fortunate to have such close friends, who truly cared.

"I'm holding you to that promise. Break it and I'll… I'll steal all your food!"

Merlin snorted at that, and politely ordered the man to get off him.

"If stealing my food is what you came here to do, then you're out of luck. I finished my breakfast," Merlin said with a smirk. Unbeknownst to him, Gwaine was also sporting a smirk.

"Since you've finished breakfast… I shall now accompany you for the whole day!" he chirped.

Merlin froze. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me! I'm gonna be with you all day long~"

"I don't think so."

"Too bad! You aren't getting rid of me."

Merlin groaned. "Was this Arthur's idea?"

"No!"

Merlin hummed suspiciously.

"…Yes. But it doesn't matter!"

Soon Merlin felt large hands gripping his shoulders, squeezing.

"Let me be your eyes. Please," Gwaine begged in a low voice.

Merlin started in surprise, but slowly a gentle smile stretched across his face. "Alright Gwaine. I won't argue."

Gwaine cheered in happiness. As for the forgotten Gaius…

"If you two have finished, isn't it time to wake up the king?"

The pair yelped and hurried off.

_~~The Same Stars~~_

"Hold my hand."

"No."

"But it'll be easier if we hold hands."

"I refuse."

Gwaine pouted in sadness. "Then at least hold my sleeve. I don't want you walking into walls…" he said in sincere honesty.

Merlin sighed, but did grab onto the knight's sleeve. Unbeknownst to Merlin, a few passer-bys gave strange looks to the blindfolded boy clutching a respected knight's arm. Gwaine glared at them all, and they quickly rushed away.

It was… different being blind in Camelot compared to Deira. In Deira, no one particularly cared about him. The servant would just lead him around with a rope, and if Merlin accidently tripped, the servant would just tug on the rope until he got up. Merlin allowed himself to sink into the memories.

_~~The Same Stars~~_

_It was his first night in the castle, with his_ master _King Lucan. He was led to what Merlin assumed was a small room. The servant untied the ropes on his wrists and shoved him inside, before closing the door. He could hear a key being turned, then footsteps fading away._

_Merlin just sank to his knees, letting out a shuddering breath. This was the first time he had been completely alone, as he'd always had the other prisoners inside the cage with him. Finally, he could drop the façade. His body trembled as he lent against the door, not thinking about anything. Because if he did, he feared he would break completely._

_After an hour or so, his body eventually calmed down, and he allowed himself to think a little more about his situation with a clear head. What did he know?_

_He was in King Lucan's castle, in the Kingdom of Deira. The king had said so himself. Merlin gritted his teeth, trying to remember if he knew anything about Deira. He'd definitely heard of it before, probably from Arthur. But evidently it wasn't a major kingdom. It probably bordered Camelot though. The journey with the slave traders had been about a week, but taking into consideration the carts holding all the prisoners, it would have been slow going._

" _Then there's still hope," he mumbled out loud, trying to convince himself. "I can't give up. Arthur's probably looking for me right now… He'll find me, and take me home."_

_Merlin spent the night against the door, thoughts filled with the promise of home._

_~~The Same Stars~~_

"Merlin? MERLIN!"

Merlin jerked back into the present at his name. Gwaine was gently shaking his shoulder.

"Sorry! I was thinking about something," Merlin apologized with a nervous grin.

"Yeah? Well don't do that again! You nearly walked into the pillar."

"Hehe… oops?"

Gwaine just breathed out and they carried on to the King's chambers. Once at the door, Gwaine turned to Merlin and said, "Don't worry, I got this."

"Why am I not comforted by that?"

Gwaine ignored him and opened the door.

Loudly.

"RISE AND SHINE PRINCESS!"

Merlin didn't know whether to laugh or bury his head in shame. Then he heard Arthur literally _shriek_ like a girl and a thump. It was too much! Merlin burst out laughing, using the door as a support.

"Argh! GWAINE!" Arthur bellowed, though it was slightly muffled by the bed sheets he was tangled in.

"Yes Sire?" Gwaine replied innocently.

"You are not getting away with this! Now help me out!" Arthur shouted, and Merlin almost felt sorry for him now. He quickly made his way to him.

"Here Arthur, let me," he chuckled out and he reached him, stretching out hands slowly until they touched the tangled bed sheets. Arthur instantly stilled, and allowed Merlin to disentangle him from the offending sheets.

"I cannot believe I'm saying this, but Gwaine, you should learn from Merlin," Arthur said, directed at the knight in question.

"Oi! It was Merlin's idea!"

"It was _not_!" Merlin defended.

"I'm with Merlin," Arthur stated cheerfully.

Gwaine was instantly in the corner, muttering incomprehensibly with a cloud over his head. Though phrases such as: "I'm always the butt…" could be heard.

Arthur rolled his eyes at the display, before turning back to Merlin.

"Are you sure you still want to do your duties? I mean you just got back…"

Merlin smiled. "It's fine, really. I'm going to do some washing, which is rather simple."

"Well, make use of that idiot over there."

Gwaine instantly recovered, bounding around them like a puppy. Arthur swatted at him. "Stop bouncing, you're making me tired just looking at you!"

Both Merlin and Gwaine grinned, and Arthur gathered the clothes that needed to be washed for them.

_~~The Same Stars~~_

Merlin had been back in Camelot about a week now. And it was Gwaine accompanying him to do the laundry again.

Despite all his protests, Gwaine insisted on carrying the basket as they headed to the laundry. Merlin just heaved a sigh as he held the sleeve. He'd gotten used to doing this now.

Washing blind was actually easier than Merlin had first expected. The basket was put to one side, and he knew where the soap was. It was just a matter of taking the clothes and scrubbing them in the basin. Gwaine had sat down somewhere, using a stone to sharpen his sword.

"Do you have anywhere to be? You don't have to stay with me you know."

Gwaine hummed in acknowledgment. "I know, but I am off-duty today. It's either staying with you or going to the tavern, and I'd rather stay with my favourite little brother," he said, uncharacteristically serious.

Merlin felt his eyebrows rise in astonishment, though they were hidden by the blindfold. But he didn't say anything more on it. He understood Gwaine's need to be with him, and Merlin also found that he was thankful for his friend's company, even after a week. Back in Deira, homesickness plagued him many times, and each time was harder for Merlin to pull through.

_~~The Same Stars~~_

_For the next two days, Merlin had hardly any contact with anyone. But to Merlin, this was virtually a blessing. He didn't have the strength to build up a strong front at this moment, and definitely did not want to be in the presence of the man who bought him. Someone would give him enough bread and water so that he only felt slight pangs of hunger, which he was grateful for. It was infinitely better than being with the slave traders._

_On the first day, he finally moved from the door, to get a better idea of where he was. He slowly stood, gingerly stretching his aching body, and put his hands against the wall. He made his way around, encountering a few corners, until he reached the door again. He gathered that the room was indeed very small._

_He went around again, this time using his hands to find any windows. Eventually he did find one to his utter relief. And even though it only opened a little, it was enough for Merlin to take a deep breath of fresh air._

_After a few minutes, he crouched to his hands and knees, and began crawling towards the middle of the room. He encountered a few large blankets that probably acted as his bed, and also a small bowl. Merlin groaned slightly when he realised what it was for, and shifted it towards the door._

_He felt tired, as he hadn't slept at all last night. He crawled back to the blankets, and decided to rest._

_On the third day, Merlin was awoken by someone opening the door. He sat up as the person came in, crouching down to grab his wrists._

" _I'm here to give you a bath," the servant said quietly as he tied his wrists together. Merlin didn't really understand what the purpose of that was, since he would never be able to escape. He'd sooner knock himself out by crashing into a wall. But he let him do so anyway. A bath sounded like heaven._

_Of course, in time he figured it was the king's need to lord over him as a master that had him constantly tied._

_He was taken to another room, where he was stripped down and thoroughly scrubbed clean. It felt good, after so long being dirty. He was also redressed into thin robes, which felt very strange, but not uncomfortable. Merlin guessed this was to prepare him to perform._

_He wasn't mistaken. Even before he entered the hall, he could hear the sounds of chatter and cutlery clinking. Evidently a large feast. For what, Merlin never found out._

_They went inside, and the chatter decreased slightly as they examined the new person. King Lucan smiled cheerfully at his pet entering._

" _Ah, he's here! Ladies and gentlemen, this is my new pet, Angel," he crooned. The people babbled appreciatively. Merlin was dumbfounded. '_ Is it really so normal for people to keep other humans as pets? _' He did not like the Kingdom of Deira. Not at all._

" _Will he be entertaining us today?" a stranger's voice said._

" _That's right. Angel is going to sing for us, isn't that right?"_

 _Merlin pressed his lips together tightly. '_ I have to be good,' _he thought, remembering the other's words. He bowed slightly to the king. This was close to how he was supposed to act with Arthur, but of course he almost never showed this amount of courtesy. Though Arthur never told him off for it. Much._

_He racked his brain for a song to sing, but he found he didn't want to sing to King Lucan at all. Just as Merlin was considering refusing to sing, he remembered his goal. To return to Arthur. And if he was going to have a chance at that, he would have to do as King Lucan said. For now. He remembered the perfect song to sing._

'Then I'll sing. I'll sing for you… Arthur.'

_And so he opened his mouth in song._

_**Dry your eyes - it's no cause to weep  
The weather is fine and the road isn't steep  
The world is still round, my compass is true  
Each step is a step back to you  
Each step is a step back to you** _

_~~The Same Stars~~_

"Gwaine…" he started.

"Hmm?" Gwaine replied, the scraping of his sword being sharpened not slowing.

"Do you…" Merlin hesitated to bring up the topic. "Do you know why I was captured in the first place?" he questioned. The scraping stopped, and the air seemed to grow colder.

"For… for your singing, right?"

Merlin was pleasantly surprised. Gwaine was smarter than he appeared, having put together the feast hall scene as the entertainment, as well as the fact that no slave trader would blind a slave unless they didn't need their sight to be sold. And Merlin new for a fact that after he had left Ealdor, he had not sung in the presence of others. Well, before being kidnapped.

"I didn't know you could sing," Gwaine continued. "Well… I actually haven't heard you sing at all. It must really be something if-" he stopped, not wanting to say more.

"It was my fault. I got careless, and didn't realise someone had been listening," Merlin admitted. "In Ealdor, my voice was like a blessing. I suppose my luck turned that day." He wasn't too sure why he was telling this to him. He hadn't told anyone, not even Arthur.

Gwaine bit his bottom lip in thought. It seemed a little selfish of him to ask, but… "I'd like to hear you sing."

Merlin started in astonishment, but Gwaine must have misinterpreted, as he instantly began berating himself. "I apologize, that was insensitive. After what you've been through, of course you wouldn't want to-"

"Gwaine," Merlin interrupted. "I think I know why I brought this up."

Gwaine blinked.

Merlin gave an earnest smiled. "I've been hiding my ability to sing from embarrassment. But now, especially after everything… I'd like to sing for all of you," he added.

Gwaine just gaped at him. He didn't know what to say. Any other person, after going through so much, would absolutely refuse to sing for anyone ever again. Not Merlin. He defied all logic. Merlin wanted to sing for the pleasure of others… Gwaine thought the person in front of him was too beautiful to be true.

"Merlin, seriously. If you don't want to sing, just don't. No one will blame you."

"No, I want to. Please." Merlin really did mean it. After all, he spent three months singing for Arthur, and now that he finally got the chance to actually sing _to_ Arthur, he won't waste it.

Gwaine couldn't help it. The laughter just began spilling out. Merlin pouted at Gwaine.

"What's so funny?"

Gwaine just shook his head despite knowing Merlin couldn't see it. He stood up and hugged him, snuggling him tight like a giant teddy.

"Did I mention how much I love you?" he purred, nuzzling his hair.

"I think… you show it c… clearly enough… please let go… breathe!"

Gwaine gave one final squeeze before releasing the gasping boy. But not before petting him on the head.

_~~The Same Stars~~_

It didn't take long to organize a gathering. It was extremely informal, as Arthur, Merlin, Gwen, Gaius and the Knights of the Round Table all sat in a rather small room, warmed by a large fireplace. The atmosphere was joyful, and people were laughing and chatting as if they were one happy family. No, they really _were_ one big happy family.

"So, Merlin. I heard you're going to sing for us?" Arthur asked, and there wasn't a hint of teasing in his tone. He was genuinely curious.

"Right," Merlin agreed. The rest of the room had already quietened as they saw Merlin getting up and walking a forward a bit before turning. Now he was in front of the slight curve of chairs.

Merlin wrung his hands nervously, but pushed on. "It's a present… for all of you."

"Whatever for?" Leon asked, the others also confused.

"For being there… and taking care of me," Merlin replied with a sincere face.

Everyone's faces just morphed into a heartfelt smiled at that.

"…And I never got to sing for you at the feast," Merlin joked.

Everyone snorted at _that_.

"Go on then," Gwen said gently. "I'm looking forward to it."

A few hummed in agreement. Merlin just grinned. In the past, he would have died in mortification at this, but he'd gotten used to it while in Deira.

"I'll be singing my mother's favourite song. She used to sing it to me all the time." He didn't mention it was the song Balinor, his father, taught her. Nor did he mention the fact that it was the song that got him through his time in Deira.

He opened his mouth and began to sing, the first time in so long since he really wanted to.

_Dry your eyes - it's no cause to weep  
The weather is fine and the road isn't steep  
The world is still round, my compass is true  
Each step is a step back to you  
Each step is a step back to you_

_Dry your eyes - each day you're alone_  
_Is one fewer to wait 'til your lover comes home_  
_The world is still round, my compass is true_  
_Each step is a step back to you_  
_Each step is a step back to you_

_Dry your eyes, and give me your hand_  
_We'll see the same stars as I travel the land_  
_The world is still round, my compass is true_  
_Each step is a step back to you_  
_Each step is a step back to you_

After the last note, Merlin stopped. He tilted his head to try detect the response. Silence. He scratched his cheek, suddenly feeling flustered. ' _…Was I not good?'_

"Um… Arthur?" he spoke tentatively, wondering why no one would say anything.

"…Whatever I was expecting… it was not _that_ ," Was the reply.

"Oh…" Merlin just uttered, a little confused. Only the sound of a chair being shifted warned him before someone tackled him to the floor. Déjà vu… He felt the breath leave him as his shoulders were furiously shaken.

"SING ME ANOTHER SONG!" Gwaine screeched. "I WANT MORE!"

"Wh-wha-at-t-" Merlin gurgled out.

"Gwaine! Get off him this instance!" Arthur yelled. Gwaine whimpered like a chastised puppy and slinked off the poor disorientated boy. Merlin felt another arm drag him up, and he thanked them.

"Merlin." Ah so it was Arthur. "That was… incredible."

Merlin blushed, and everyone began crowding him, praising him with delighted compliments. He smiled. Merlin loved them all so much. His time apart from them only ingrained it more deeply within his heart.

_~~We'll See the Same Stars~~_

Breakfast was a strange mushy stew, and Merlin wasn't too keen on questioning what exactly was inside. But he ate it anyway, as he was busy thinking about something else. It hadn't really occurred to him until recently. Gaius had researched furiously, trying to find a spell to recover his eyes, but to no avail. But perhaps they had just been looking in the wrong place.

"What's wrong, boy?" Gaius asked as he noticed Merlin zoning out again.

"Gaius, I was thinking… perhaps I could ask Kilgharrah. Maybe he knows a spell for my eyes?"

Gaius hummed in consideration. "That could be a possibility. After all, there are some spells sorcerers have never been able to accomplish, whereas dragons are creatures of pure magic. They can achieve the impossible."

Merlin grinned. "Well, I can't get my hopes up yet… but if it is possible, I'll have to discuss it with Arthur."

"Yes," the physician agreed. "Though at the moment, I believe Arthur's hatred for magic has waned considerably. I'm sure he will not hesitate to use magic to allow you to see again."

"That's if it's possible," Merlin chuckled, but he couldn't help feeling optimistic, even if he'd feel that much worse if it couldn't be done.

_~~We'll See the Same Stars~~_

Gaius accompanied Merlin to a clear patch in the forest that evening. He threw his head into the sky, roaring at the stars his dragon call. He felt Kilgharrah respond in the back of his head and after a few moments the sound of heavy wing beats echoed. He covered his face with his arm as the wind churned up, and the dragon landed.

" **Young warlock… Gaius,"** Kilgharrah greeted, and exhaled. **"What happened to your eyes?"**

Merlin should have expected the dragon to notice straight away. "They were… removed."

He heard the dragon growl with wrath. **"Did you call me to help you with that?"**

"Yes. Is there a way to heal them?" Gaius asked.

" **Humm, well if it was only healing, it would be simple,"** the dragon mused. **"Organs, however, are a little different…"**

Merlin felt his optimism begin to crumble.

"… **but not impossible."**

" _You're_ impossible," Merlin muttered under his breath, but with a small sigh of relief. Kilgharrah chose to ignore that.

" **It is not possible to remake your eyeballs."**

"…Wait so I can't get my sight back?"Merlin asked, now a little irritated. The least the blasted dragon could do was give him a straight answer! He couldn't keep getting his hopes up and then having it broken down so often.

" **I did not say that."**

"Right, we're leaving, Gaius."

Gaius grabbed his collar and yanked him back.

Kilgharrah chuckled, though it sounded more like the earth rumbling.

" **Though you cannot remake eyeballs, you can replace them with a medium, which will act as your eyes.** "

Merlin felt his jaw drop. He'd never… _ever_ considered something other than _eyeballs_ to be used to see. Magic truly had no bounds.

" **It may take me a while to prepare the necessary material,"** he mused. **"The only reason I'm going to all this trouble is to ensure you fulfil your destiny."**

"Thank you," Merlin said with sincerity, and the pair bowed. The dragon nodded, and opened his wings, lifting off into the sky.

Merlin wrung his hands. "I guess it's time to speak with Arthur."

_~~We'll See the Same Stars~~_

"Alright, let me get this straight."

Merlin fiddled with his shirt.

"You have a way to regain your sight."

"Yes."

"New eyes."

"Yes."

"But it's through magic."

"Yes."

"Great!"

"Yes. Wait what?"

Arthur beamed, and rested a hand on Merlin's shoulder. "Merlin… I'm already beginning to believe that magic can be good or bad. If you are able to regain your sight through magic, then I have no right at all to tell you otherwise. It is your vision after all. I could never tell you not to get your sense of sight back."

"But… magic is banned," Merlin said humbly. He was _unbelievably_ astonished at how supportive Arthur was being. _'Did something happen while I was away?'_

"Merlin, I am not joking when I say I will remove the ban on magic if you regain your sight."

Merlin practically fell out of his chair. This was too good to be true! He felt heard Arthur chuckle.

"You're shocked… and I'm not surprised. I should probably tell you why I'm feeling this way. A month after you had gone, I encountered an old woman. She appeared to be spouting nonsense, but then she said something. She said that someone I lost would return to me. At that time, I had brushed her off. Now I realize that she may have been a seer, and I had ignored her knowledge."

"Wow," Merlin breathed out.

"I'll never know for certain. But nevertheless, I want what's best for you."

Merlin felt his lips stretch into a grin. "Thank you so much, Arthur. You have no idea how much this means to me."

_~~We'll See the Same Stars~~_

The sound of wing beats resounded as the Great Dragon landed.

" **Greetings, young warlock,"** Kilgharrah said, and Merlin nodded in reply.

"Did you find… whatever you were looking for?" he asked, anticipation barely in check.

" **Indeed I did. Fragments from the Crystal Cave."**

"What?!" Merlin cried in disbelief. "Don't tell me… I can't have _that_ as my eyes!"

Gaius also had an eyebrow raised in shock.

" **Raw, it would indeed be dangerous. However, I have carefully refined it with my Dragon Breath. The magic of my fire has dulled the power of it. The fragments were necessary, as they would provide the means to send visual signals to your mind, just as your previous eyeballs did. You won't notice the difference. In fact, your vision will likely be much greater than your previous sight."**

Merlin was dubious, but it made sense. He didn't really understand how the Dragon Breath managed to cancel the crystals' power, but he realised that the medium must be powerful. Still, he could never forget the horror he saw within them last time he was in the cave. If this was the only way…

" **Are you prepared?"**

"As I'll ever be," Merlin replied.

" **Gaius, you should step back a bit."**

Soon, Merlin felt the magic of the dragon swirl around his head, easily removing the blindfold. He gasped slightly as his eyelids were opened, and the magic swirled inside. His own magic also reacted, entwining itself with the older magic. Suddenly he felt them, the spherical crystals resting inside his head. It was an odd feeling, but not at all painful. The magic had even warmed it slightly. The dragon's magic flowed out again, and he felt the blindfold refitted onto his face.

Merlin touched the material in surprise.

"It didn't work?" he whispered with a tremor.

" **Do not fear. It was successful. However it will take around an hour for your magic to fully merge with the crystal, and allow you to see."**

Merlin found himself grinning madly, tears welling within his brand new eyes.

_~~We'll See the Same Stars~~_

Everyone chattered excitedly around Merlin, though Gwaine seemed to be even more enthusiastic.

"Now?" he pleaded.

"Not yet," Merlin replied, as he felt his magic almost finished resonating with the crystals.

Gwaine continued to whine miserably, until Elyan smacked him on the head.

"Be patient!" the more rational knight reprimanded.

Merlin smirked at that. Arthur just sighed. Merlin's smiled brightened when he finally felt his magic finish.

"Okay now," he said cheerfully, and everyone crowded closer together. Gaius untied the knot on the blindfold, and took it off.

Merlin's eyelids squeezed shut first, before slowly opening. Merlin instantly noticed light filling his vision, albeit extremely blurry. But he was ecstatic. He heard the others gasp, and he wondered what they looked like. Gradually, faces came into focus, until they became astonishingly clear.

The faces were wide with anticipation, until they saw him focus on them all and they split into beaming faces.

"How is it?!" Gwaine demanded.

Merlin didn't answer, as tears began spilling over his cheeks, but he was grinning, with such happiness, that the others all smiled with him.

"W-What do they look like?" he asked.

"See for yourself," Gwen replied merrily and handed him a mirror. Merlin held the mirror up and looked into it, and what he saw made him almost drop the mirror.

The eyes that stared back looked real, though there were no blood vessels. The centre was the deepest black, and surrounding it was light, (dare I say) crystal blue, with fractures of a lighter, almost white blue spilling out from the 'iris'. And circling it all was a thin edge of brilliant gold, the shade his eyes had previously turned into whenever he used magic.

"Hey," Arthur said, and Merlin looked at him. _Looked_ at him.

"Congratulations," the king murmured.

Merlin smiled gently in reply. "Thank you."

_~~We See the Same Stars~~_

What Merlin neglected to tell anyone, even _Gaius_ , was that he could see so much more than what he could before. The dragon wasn't kidding when he said his vision would be 'greater'. But he didn't think he could ever fully describe what he could now see.

It was as if the world became suddenly _linked_ to him. The energy of life was now visible to him, in an array of vibrant colours. He could see green tendrils within all the plants and trees. Animals left behind a wisp of colour, and people, oh _people!_ The souls of humans glowed with the greatest light. Though some were not untainted, others, mostly children, were so amazingly pure.

Merlin was thankful he could freely stop this extra ability by cutting off some of the magic to his eyes, as he would have become so constantly distracted by it all.

He couldn't help but wonder if it was all fate. Perhaps this was always meant to be, being captured, blinded, and held away from home for so long. And then returning, and gaining these new eyes. Eyes that let him view the world around him in such a way…

He could see it now. His destiny to protect Arthur. The air sang for the age of unity, now that the ban on magic had been lifted. But for now, he would sit under this tree, and rest.

**The End**

**Author's Note:**

> Um... after 8 years, I finally cross-posted this sequel onto AO3 from FF.net... I'm still not sure why I never did before, but now it feels complete even if my writing isn't great.
> 
> Thank you all those who read till the end!
> 
> Credits:
> 
> Top quote from the song I Am Human by the Brian Buckley Band.
> 
> Song is Each Step by Heather Dale.


End file.
